The Custom
by Lanta
Summary: Elizabeth is given an unexpected gift. Slave fic, ficlet.


**Author's notes  
**

This is a response to my own multi-fandom challenge at the slavefics LJ community: "Character A is given to Character B as a present." (If you fancy having a go, join the community, lol.) It's almost certainly a one-shot, and there are no pairings or warnings.

----------

Elizabeth stared at the man kneeling in front of her, his head bowed in submission.

"How – _how_ could they think I could want this?"

"It's their culture," said Carson quietly. "They don't understand that we don't like it."

"Can't we just send him back?" asked Rodney.

"No," answered Teyla. "It would be offensive to them, and it wouldn't free him anyway."

John shook his head, and directed his question to the man on the floor. "You really volunteered for this? To be a slave?"

"Yes, sir."

"You weren't forced into it?"

"No, sir. To be a Gift is an honour to my family."

"Oh." If there was something intelligent he could say in answer to that, John couldn't think of it right then.

"And I can't free you?" asked Elizabeth.

"No, Mistress. Even if you do not treat me as a servant, I will always perceive you as my owner."

"Can you at least stand up?"

"As you wish, Mistress." He rose smoothly to his feet, keeping his eyes on the floor.

"If we trade with your people again, will they offer us somebody else?" asked John.

"No, sir. Gifts are given only to new allies who offer my people something of worth."

"Oh god, we're not expected to give your people one of ours are we?" asked Rodney, panicking.

"No, sir."

John considered remarking that it would have been nice to get rid of McKay, but decided that it was tasteless under the circumstances.

"What's your name, anyway?" he asked instead.

"Laylan, sir."

Elizabeth sighed tiredly. "Well, Laylan, what is it that you expect me to do with you?"

"I will do whatever you wish of me, Mistress. I can be your bodyguard, manservant or body slave. I can also do manual labour if you wish it of me."

"By body slave, do you mean –" Rodney cut himself off abruptly. There were winces around the room.

"Well let's start by finding you a room," said Weir. "We can find you something to do in the morning. Maybe the Athosians could use some help planting crops. Carson, do you want to check him over first?"

"Yes, thank you Elizabeth."

"Okay, Laylan, go with Dr. Beckett, and then John will get you some food and find you somewhere to sleep."

"Thank you, Mistress."

"Laylan, is there any chance that you could stop calling me that, please?"

"As my Lady wishes."

"That's not quite what I meant. Could you call me by my name?"

"I am sorry. My Lady must always be addressed respectfully by her slave."

"Oh. Well 'my Lady' is better than Mistress I suppose."

"Then I will remember to address you as such, my Lady."

"Thank you. I'll see you in the morning, Laylan."

"Yes, my Lady." He bowed low, and then followed Carson out of the large room.

Elizabeth looked helplessly at the remaining people. "What do I do?"

"Keep him," was Teyla's verdict. "Treat him well, but allow him to follow his people's customs. Remember, the Tathayans do not force people into slavery; they enter into it willingly, and Laylan _chose_ to become your servant. Do not dishonour him by rejecting his servitude."

"What she said, I suppose," said John.

Elizabeth agreed, and then said quietly, "I've spent my entire career working with people from different cultures; I'm used to accepting different customs and traditions. But this… it just goes so much against everything I believe in. You're right though Teyla, he chose his slavery, and that does make all the difference."

"I still don't understand it though," said someone. "Why would he _choose_ to become a slave? I mean, what if you were the type of person who would abuse him?"

"The Tathayans are very careful in choosing their allies," said Teyla. "They would not have agreed to trade with us if they did not believe that Dr. Weir would treat their offering well."

"Teyla – you knew this would happen, didn't you? Why didn't you mention it?"

"It has been many generations since the Tathayans first allied with the Athosians. I believed that the custom had died out some years ago. Apparently I was mistaken."

"Apparently," said John dryly. "Anyway, I need to go sort out a room. Does anyone know if Laylan brought clothes and things with him?"

"Yeah – there's a couple of big bags in the other room," said Rodney.

"Good. Come on, you can carry one."

The men left, Teyla walking behind them. Elizabeth stood there for a moment, reflecting on the events of the last few days.

When had her life become so odd?

Shaking her head, she followed the others out of the room.

It didn't look as if it was going to get more normal any time soon.


End file.
